Michael Herr’s and George Orwell’s hand experiences during the Vietnam War

Michael Herr’s and George Orwell’s hand experiences during the Vietnam War

Summary

When looking back on the central conflict in history, the Vietnam War and the Spanish War marks are among the most identifiable wars to ever occur. The Spanish war was a result of existence in opposing political views of fascism and democracy. The tensions between both sides in Spain led to the Right-Wing leader General Francisco Franco to declare an uprising to overthrow the current Republican government (Spanish Civil War, 2010). Through reading George Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia, I can support the clashing of political views, as Orwell is involved as a supporter of the communists fighting against the Republicans. Also, the communists’ most significant ally was the Church of Spain. Through the support of the Workers Party of Marxist Unification (also known as POUM), Orwell was able to participate in fighting the Republicans.

Many ideas were disputed in the 1960s, thus making it difficult for the majority to come into agreement with others. Times were really changing. Many writers and journalists of the time were transforming from covering the story to voicing themselves through experiencing and writing the full story. Generally, they began to engage themselves. Michael Herr did precisely this, he went to Vietnam and joined himself into the war, with an aim to capture the true story of the happenings. While in Vietnam, Michael Herr found it challenging to describe all he saw, he instead used the rock of music of the time so as to portray his message. With different imagery and songs, a bridge between the United States and Vietnam is built, and also provides the soldiers who participated in fighting the endless war; an escape to their old lives. Throughout Dispatches, Michael Herr uses numerous references and rock music styles to assist the reader in visualizing the real Vietnam War. Thus, this paper will focus on Michael Herr’s and George Orwell’s hand experiences during the war, and the strengths and weaknesses within the army, as well as the full conflicts.

George Orwell

            As a journalist, George Orwell moved to Spain with the motive of writing newspaper articles, but on his arrival in Spain, he realized the compulsion for him to join the communist movement and help them achieve their objectives. Upon recruiting in the army, he was sent for Guerrilla army training in Lenin Barracks of Barcelona. Orwell recounts that boys of sixteen or seventeen years old were recruited as revolutionary soldiers; these boys were even incapable of standing in line, he claimed, “discipline did not exist” (Spanish Civil War, 2010). This was a shock to Orwell, as he was originated from a military background of the English, where strict rules and criteria were used in the recruitment of soldiers. Additionally, the soldiers of the revolutionary army were underequipped and as well lacked discipline. Orwell states that in the entirety of the POUM Lenin Barracks, there was no single riffle. The fact that the revolutionary side had no discipline, even though this was early in Orwell’s recounts, gave them fewer chances in winning the republicans, I, therefore, think this was a sign to the defeat of the left-wing revolutionaries.

Similar to World War one, there was the use of a trench warfare type battle in the Spanish Civil War. Therefore, as George Orwell was getting to the front lines with both his insufficient weaponry and training, he was not feeling confident. This instance made Orwell realize that the trench warfare in which was used in World War I was not similar to what he was to be partaking in. Orwell claims that the trenches of the enemy in the war were almost a full kilometer away from theirs, and thus one would be fortunate to hit any shot from that distance. Also, the existence of such a range led to a state of very minimal fighting; with the inadequate rifle malfunction, one of Orwell’s fellow men died.

On top of the usual hardships of war, the entire society at the time was impoverished, and things such as tobacco, food, and sugar were very scarce. This instance created another dynamic for Orwell to have to fight through in the course of his time in the war. In fact, in the first year of the war, prices of items, including different food products and tobacco, rose by 200-300 percent (Jackson, 1990). This is an essential aspect that many people fail to consider when thinking about the adversities of war; the end result of the fighting is that the entire country was devastated. Also, the soldiers were fighting a battle with inadequate energy and food. Additionally, Orwell also mentions the lack of sleep, which affected him and his fellow soldiers during this war, as he claims that this condition was starting to affect his health condition greatly. Moreover, one of the major challenges that soldiers faced in this time of war was that of cold. Orwell recounts that inadequate firewood led to soldiers always freezing, as the area was high above sea level. This is noted when he claims, “We were between two and three thousand feet above the sea level, it was mid-winter, and the cold was unspeakable” (Jackson, 1990). Relating to Orwell’s experiences, I can conclude that this war was more of an internal or mental fight than combat against corruption. Instead of soldiers being decimated by bombs or bullets, they are decimated by starvation and sleep deprivation. Therefore it’s fascinating to note the duration this war actually lasted, since three years of such a battle seems in many ways pointless and incomprehensible.

Upon Orwell returning home to Barcelona, he realizes that the major challenges within this war were just beginning. At this time, he realizes that the entirety of the “home front” civil population had lost interest in the war (Jackson, 1990). Also, the hierarchy of society, referring to the lower, middle, and upper class was beginning to reassert itself. In fact, George Orwell defined this scenario as “Everywhere you went, you were met with the same unthinking remark: This war – terrible isn’t it? When’s it going to end?”(Buchanan, 1997). This is noteworthy because the front line soldiers were not aware of this information at the time. The soldiers at the front line were either not provided with newspapers, or if they received the newspaper, all the information was being approved and screened before it got to print. Therefore, it continues the parlance of fighting that can be viewed as losing a fight or war. The soldiers of the front lines were put in miserable situations of life or death when individuals on the home front appeared to be more comfortable with solely going back to prior ways of life if it means the war was to end.

Despite Orwell’s participation as a member of the POUM, his left-wing views continued to develop and grow, and he aspired to become a member of the communist party with a motive of continuing the fight in Madrid. In fact, Orwell’s preference would have been to join the Anarchists; however, this would have reduced his chances to join the front lines of Madrid. This is interesting to note, as, during the beginning of this book, Orwell, in terms of his political association, seems to be very much laissez-faire, but now as his character grows, it seems his views have turned out to be more impulsive and radical (Jackson, 1990). In fact, the CNT is joined by anarchists in raiding significant buildings in Barcelona, during the war.

In the fight against the oppressive Republican government, Orwell and his comrades experienced many internal conflicts between the allied members of the communist forces. In fact, interest in clashing between communist ideologies and anarchists became more within the people on the home front of Barcelona, and this was even more than that of the fight against Nationalists (Buchanan, 1997). As previously mentioned, George Orwell started to shift towards anarchist mentality; this can be endorsed to his new impulse decision making. Throughout Spanish history, the Anarchists had full control of the left-wing politics and had gained popularity on the avoidance of short-term reformist and direct action demands. Therefore, this caused great commotion in political happenings. Apart from the lack of support from the home front population, the mistrust between the members in the front line war was a major source of internal conflicts.

Moving on, Orwell brings out an interesting aspect in the latter part of the book, which is the idea of heroism within the war. Orwell explains. “I suppose, in a small way, making history, and you ought by rights to feel like a historical character. But you never do, because at such times, the physical details always outweigh everything else” (Orwell, 2016). Orwell feels that he should at least recognize himself because of the efforts he made during the way. But instead, he has a feeling that he was of little importance to the war, with his struggles being all for not. This is crucial since Orwell broadens this perception by saying that all wars are the same, due to progressive destruction they cause on the right to truthful press and individual liberty, which are not compatible with military efficiency.

Michael Herr, Dispatches

            In the book Dispatches, Herr takes the reader on an expedition below the depths of rationality. The war is told from a perspective of the American soldier, Herr tells stories these soldiers told, the horrors they’ve seen, and the myths they believed. Through his travels with the “grunts,” Herr was able to get actual information that most correspondents tried to avoid, not only death and the bloodshed that is war, but how that distressed the common soldier. This distress was quite frightening. Some even went literally insane, like those with the “thousand-yard stare,” gazing into emptiness (Herr, 2009). Michael Herr in Dispatches uses rock music references and styles to picture the true Vietnam War.

Day Tripper/Dock of the Bay

Day Tripper is the character Herr uses in first rock reference. This character shares the same name as a Beatle’s song. In Dispatches, the character, Day Tripper, refers to a black soldier from Detroit who is scared of the night, not darkness. All through the book, Herr recounts of many crazy and dangerous daytime missions, in order for him to evade night duty. Also, Day tripper is obsessed with the idea of time. For many soldiers in Vietnam, no one would speculate the duration the war would take to end, only how much longer they had. To calculate the time spent in the war, some combatants would write down the months they had toured. However, Day Tripper instead drew a complete calendar, and he did mark each day off using a neat X. according to him, time was a way to bring more reality in the war (Adams, 2005). Everyone knew what time was; however, Day Tripper invested many efforts into time because he lacked anything else important to think about.

Day Tripper despised most facets of the war, and the only certainty was their good relationship with Mayhew, who was a distinctive young American hippie of the time. As the war progresses, Mayhew becomes more habituated to the war, which disappoints Day Tripper more and more. He understands that there is more out there in the world, and thus wonders why young people are wasting their lives fighting a war that is going nowhere. Therefore, he rejects any good news as he clearly understands that the majority of the soldiers who participated in the war were not going to return.

In regards to the Beatles’ song, Michael Herr uses the parallel between the lyrics and the character to express further what Vietnam truly was like. Day Tripper’s character doesn’t relate to the lyrics, but the whole war experience of Vietnam is linked to the lyrics. Mostly, Herr describes the character of both Day Tripper and Mayhew as fictional, “She was a day tripper, a one-way ticket yeah. It took me so long to find out, and I found out” (Adams, 2005). These lyrics mostly describe the experiences of so many unfortunate soldiers in the Vietnam War. The term ‘One-way ticket’ referred to facing death, and it wasn’t until most of these soldiers found their end. Regardless of what happened to these soldiers, they tried to win and escape the war, they really tried everything possible, but nothing worked. They were stuck. Herr gave the persona of Day Tripper to being a gentleman that supported his complete opposite to demonstrate that anything is possible during the war and that if you don’t watch in the distance and deliberate on time, then there is really nothing to think about.

In addition to the use of rock music in the book Dispatches, Herr briefly illuminates the Song of the Bay by Otis Redding. This song comes up during an interaction between Mayhew and Day Tripper. It happens when all of the men are sticking around their barracks; then, the song comes over the radio in a soft sweet tone (Herr, 2009). When listening to the song, the mood of a positive friendship between Day Tripper and Mayhew is set by the sweet sounds of the music. Through music, friendships blossom and foster into relationships that can survive through the most difficult times.

Magical Mystery Tour

            Magical Mystery Tour is another important Beatle’s song that Michael Herr uses to picture the true Vietnam War. Herr also claims that the song is about Khe Sanh at the time; however, its relevance to the war still remains. According to Herr and other Vietnam soldiers, this song acts as a reminder of life back home, though it can mean much more. Taken in context, the soldiers relive the horrors of the military that was taken under siege and of Khen Sanh when the song plays from overhead. However, two other important aspects of the song can often be overlooked.

The first aspect is that the past repeating itself can be represented by the song. To the Vietnamese, they branded Americans just like any other nation trying to “help” out. Vietnam had endured its fair share of occupiers, and they have had practice during the time Americans came over. Particularly, when Vietnam was under the occupation of France. By 1954, the Vietnamese had taken over Dien Bien Phu, a France occupation; this was 14 years before the battle of Khe Sanh (Van Deusen, 1983). Thus, I tend to think these battles prove that humans don’t learn from their own mistakes or the mistakes of others. Due to this, history will repeat itself.

Another aspect the song Magical Mystery Tour showcases is the references to the draft and drugs in the Vietnam War. The name of the song tends to talk about drugs, especially marijuana, which was used during the war. The majority of the soldiers going into the war lacked any idea of what they were getting themselves into, and that is what captivated Herr the most. Newly joined soldiers in the Vietnam War would soon lose their innocence to some mystery. Every lyric line of the song state the unknowns and promise of the war. The men who were being taken away due to the draft had no idea what they involved themselves.  Herr further describes what was happening overseas, using the song.

San Francisco, California

            In the 1960s, California was the midpoint of the radical movements. Relating to the Vietnam War, Herr uses the city of San Francisco and its rock scene. During the battle of Khe Sanh, one of the soldiers outside a tent was whirring the lyrics of “San Francisco” while other soldiers were dying. Another moment Herr speaks of San Francisco is during the war, he witnessed a preview of a GI’s face. Herr describes it as “Painted up for night walking now like a bad hallucination, not like the painted faces I’d seen in San Francisco only a few weeks before, the other extreme of the same theater” (Van Deusen, 1983). He was actually recounting the thrilling differences that he witnessed. In the course of the Vietnam War, many other encounters with the descriptions of San Francisco. These descriptions proceeded as a way to make sense of the war happenings. San Francisco is termed as a place so familiar in an unfamiliar world. The city brought about love and peace into the hate and death of Vietnam. San Francisco and Vietnam appeared to be far apart from one another as they could be, but the power of culture and rock music connected the two places.

George Orwell: Homage to Catalonia vs. Michael Herr; Dispatches

George Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia and Michael Herr’s Dispatches can be viewed as a direct account of a very confusing war to navigate. For instance, Orwell leaves this war with a number of injuries, both physical and mental, with no accomplishment to make him proud as he makes his way back to England. This book displays the hardships that were faced during the war within the revolutionary military. Furthermore, it demonstrates a state where power in the practice of the Nationalists was never to be broken. The taking over of Telephone exchange made the power of the Nationalists unsteady at times, but in the end, they were always going to maintain their power (Orwell, 2016). Therefore, I conclude that George Orwell had good faith and hopes before joining the war but later realizes his true political affiliations to the far left. Besides, I feel that he is recounting his time in Spain, at the end of the novel. Thus, he realizes the side in which he joined the fight never had a chance of winning.

On the other hand, all through Dispatches, we see the creative work of Michael Herr and his journalism. With the use of numerous rock music references, Herr displays what life is like in Vietnam. He also captures the life that he lived. By fully engaging himself into the horrors and culture of Vietnam, Michael Herr was able to make an escape for the soldiers. He captures situations such as; the reliance on music and drugs, the friendships made, and the atmosphere that depended merely on making it see another day (Herr, 2009). The sweet sound of the songs followed the Vietnam soldiers wherever they went; to them, it was a way to relax and escape the reality of war. To the soldiers fighting over in Vietnam, rock music was of great significance to those who were just trying to make sense of conflict

Works Cited

Adams, J. (2005). Envelope Please: Upholding Masculinity in Michael Herr’s” Dispatches” and David Rabe’s” Streamers”. Studies in Popular Culture, 28(2), 169-191.

Buchanan, T. (1997). The Death of Bob Smillie, the Spanish Civil War, and the Eclipse of the Independent Labour Party. The Historical Journal, 40(2), 435-461.

Herr, M. (2009). Dispatches (Vol. 318). Everyman’s Library.

Jackson, G. (1990). Collectivist Experiences in the Spanish Civil War. Mediterranean Studies, 97-103.

Orwell, George. Homage to Catalonia. England: Penguin Books, 2000. “Spanish Civil War Breaks Out,” 2010. http://www.history.com/this-dayin-history/spanish-civil-war-breaks-out

Orwell, G. (2016). Homage to Catalonia/Down and Out in Paris and London. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Van Deusen, M. (1983). The Unspeakable Language of Life and Death in Michael Herr’s Dispatches. Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction, 24(2), 82-87.

(Jackson, 1990)